On 14 September 2017, the 22-year-old employee of AR Signs Limited was using a breaker tool to dig a hole for the posts of a new sign at the Hellaby Hall Hotel in Bramley, near Rotherham, when he struck a mains electricity cable, causing a large flash. The worker suffered burn injuries to the inside of his right arm, the top of his right hand, the inside of his left arm, and the right-hand side of his face. He also had burns to his hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and beard.
Investigating, the HSE found that no cable diagram or ground scanner was used to determine the presence of the mains cable, and no training had been given in the use of the breaker tool.
AR Signs Ltd of Leicester Street, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire was found guilty of breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £35,000 with costs of £2,475.
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Sarah Robinson commented: “This wholly avoidable incident was caused by the failure of the company to appropriately plan and execute a safe system of work whilst fitting the signs.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
Watch, the most-read health and safety fines and prosecutions stories on SHP in February 2019:
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